Almost two months into the season and I have noticed an ongoing trend that disturbs me. As I scroll through through sports websites and channels, Kevin Durant is constantly overshadowed by other players. Some of these players are great such as Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, thus I understand, but when you begin to mention Chris Paul for MVP I now have a problem. Why is he not the topic of conversation when it comes time to talk about the NBA? Why is he rarely talked about on the major networks? I am going to try and figure this out. Kevin Durant is the two time defending scoring champ in the NBA, winning with an average of 29 points per game. He won rookie of the year in 2008, he has been named an All-Star three times. Last year he led the Thunder to the western conference semifinals. All of the credentials are there, just as much as and even more then most players. And when it comes to clutch situation forth quarters, no one can compare to the poise and smoothness of KD. We may all remember the shot against the Dallas Mavericks on December 29th. If you are still not convinced this week he made several big shots in the last moments of the game against Portland and Golden State. When it comes to big shots/game winning shots he has risen to be one of the best. Now that we are familiar with some of his credentials it is evident that he should be in discussion when talking about the best in this sport. Is it because he plays in a smaller media market? Oklahoma City is the 45th biggest media market in the United States, a lot smaller then Miami, New York, or Los Angeles. Or maybe it is because he does nothing wrong, or does things to bring attention to himself? Kevin Durant is a class act and a great representative for the game, always acting responsibly and helping out in the community. Regardless of a reason, it is a shame that Kevin Durant is often left out in basketball conversation. He has raised a franchise from the bottom to the second best record in the NBA. He is a great player that I feel his talents are flying under the radar, but if you ask me, I would hands down without a doubt pick Kevin Durant over any other player in the NBA because he can do it all, when it matters, on and off the court. He is a game changer, he can shoot from the perimeter, post up, drive it to the goal, and even create his own shots out of nothing. You can play your best defense, have a hand in his face and he will still score. I would say along with Ray Allen he is the best shooter coming off of a screen. Unlike Lebron, you cannot get in his head, if he misses shots, he will continue to shoot, and of course step it up when it matters. At age 23 old and being one of the most, maybe the most versatile players in the league,Kevin Durant is only going to get better. And that is scary.
Friday 10 February 2012
Kobe or Lebron? Give me Kevin Durant
Almost two months into the season and I have noticed an ongoing trend that disturbs me. As I scroll through through sports websites and channels, Kevin Durant is constantly overshadowed by other players. Some of these players are great such as Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, thus I understand, but when you begin to mention Chris Paul for MVP I now have a problem. Why is he not the topic of conversation when it comes time to talk about the NBA? Why is he rarely talked about on the major networks? I am going to try and figure this out. Kevin Durant is the two time defending scoring champ in the NBA, winning with an average of 29 points per game. He won rookie of the year in 2008, he has been named an All-Star three times. Last year he led the Thunder to the western conference semifinals. All of the credentials are there, just as much as and even more then most players. And when it comes to clutch situation forth quarters, no one can compare to the poise and smoothness of KD. We may all remember the shot against the Dallas Mavericks on December 29th. If you are still not convinced this week he made several big shots in the last moments of the game against Portland and Golden State. When it comes to big shots/game winning shots he has risen to be one of the best. Now that we are familiar with some of his credentials it is evident that he should be in discussion when talking about the best in this sport. Is it because he plays in a smaller media market? Oklahoma City is the 45th biggest media market in the United States, a lot smaller then Miami, New York, or Los Angeles. Or maybe it is because he does nothing wrong, or does things to bring attention to himself? Kevin Durant is a class act and a great representative for the game, always acting responsibly and helping out in the community. Regardless of a reason, it is a shame that Kevin Durant is often left out in basketball conversation. He has raised a franchise from the bottom to the second best record in the NBA. He is a great player that I feel his talents are flying under the radar, but if you ask me, I would hands down without a doubt pick Kevin Durant over any other player in the NBA because he can do it all, when it matters, on and off the court. He is a game changer, he can shoot from the perimeter, post up, drive it to the goal, and even create his own shots out of nothing. You can play your best defense, have a hand in his face and he will still score. I would say along with Ray Allen he is the best shooter coming off of a screen. Unlike Lebron, you cannot get in his head, if he misses shots, he will continue to shoot, and of course step it up when it matters. At age 23 old and being one of the most, maybe the most versatile players in the league,Kevin Durant is only going to get better. And that is scary.
Saturday 4 February 2012
Super Bowl XLVI Preview
This Sunday one of the most anticipated rematches in sports history will take place as the New EnglandPatriots will face off against the New York Giants. As many of us remember these two teams faced off in 2007 as the undefeated Pats came in as a heavy favorite, but were not knocked off thanks to the heroics of Eli Manning and David Tyree. As the teams are putting the finishing touches on their preparations, there is no doubt that this will be a great game. Here are some keys for both teams that will be essential to attain the prized Lombardi Trophy:New England Patriots
1. Rob Gronkowski must be healthy. It is widely believed according to sources that he will play which is good news, but the question now becomes how effective can he be on that ankle. He must not only
play, but play to high level, to help boost this offense. This season he had 90 receptions, amassing 1,327 yards, and 17 touchdowns. It is evident that he is probably their most explosive weapon.
2. How protected will Tom Brady be in the pocket? In order to have success on offense the Patriots will have to do an adequate job stopping this Giants pass rush. The Giants finished tied for third in the NFL
this season in sacks getting to the quarterback 48 times. The Patriots allowed 32 sacks during the season however Brady has only been sacked once during the playoffs. Clearly improvements are being made, but if Tom Brady does not have enough time to drop back and make throws then it could spell disaster for New England.
3. New York probably has the best core of recievers in the league. Victor Cruz, Mario Manningham, and Hakeem Nicks all had great seasons and post seasons. If they cannot be shut down then Eli Manning will pick apart this Patriots secondary. New England had the second worst secondary during the 2011 season allowing almost 300 yards a game. Just as the offensive line play has increased, so has the secondary. However they have not faced an elite quarterback yet who has the capabilities of Manning and an elite core of receivers.
New York Giants
1. Getting to Tom Brady will be huge in this game. As proven by other teams and the last time these two teams met in the Super Bowl, if Brady is pressured, New England cannot consistently move the ball. Justin Tuck, Chris Canty, and rising star Jason Pierre-Paul have made a habit of getting in the backfield but doing it on the biggest stage of the year is yet to be seen.
2. New York
will have to run the ball. Eli Manning is a great quarterback but just as in every great offense a good balance of both pass and run is key. The Giants though talented at the position but failed to average over 100 yards a game. Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw will have to be productive because I am not sure that Eli can carry the offense alone.3. Shutting down Rob Gronkowski is going to be at the top of list on ways to shut down the New England offense. When these two teams met in the regular he only had eight catches for 101 yards and was not a big factor in the game. The New York secondary and linebackers will have to disrupt his game especially if he is able to play at full strength.
Prediction
This game will feature tow of the games best quarterbacks, Tom Brady, and E
li Manning, which will be exciting to see who outperforms who.These two teams met in Foxboro in week nine which was won by the Giants on a late drive 24-20. Thus, both teams are very familiar with each other yet now they are different teams. Since that game the Patriots have not lost again, winners of 10 in a row. The Giants barely got into the playoffs but just like their run in '07 they have caught fire at the right time. And it is for this reason that I am picking the New York Giants to beat the New England Patriots on Sunday because in the playoffs it is not who is the BETTER team but who is the
HOTTER team. New York had to get through three very tough games beating three great quarterbacks along the way. Their defensive line just as in week nine will cause a lot of trouble for Tom Brady, preventing a persistent offensive attack. Also Rob Gronkowski's injury will play a major role. The more weapons Brady has available the harder it will be for the Giants to make stops. But again the key is the Giants defensive line as they will also stop the run just like they have during the playoffs. Eli Manning has proven he can deliver on the biggest stages time and time again, now with three great receivers, New England will have trouble stopping the aerial assault, especially if New York can run the ball well. New England will be thirsty for revenge, for the '07 Super Bowl loss and ruining their perfect season but it will not happen this year.
Prediction
New York Giants 24
New England Patriots 20
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